In GPBB, usually we will confess for our sins personally (i.e., Protestantism in action) before a deacon or elder, who serves as the worship leader, leads us to confess for our sins collectively. And I need to confess that usually my mind wanders around during this time. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. My fault, my fault, it’s truly my fault.

(From the last paragraph you could get an idea how intercessory prayer works for the Catholics. They ask prayers not only from the living ones but also from the “dead” ones, or, I should say, the more-living ones.)

Somehow I think this liturgical confession is planted deep enough in my father such that he always includes confession of sin whenever he says grace before meal. He won’t necessarily recite the Mea Culpa prayer, but he will definitely confess for our sins before meal.

(Another thing that I like is the dismissal or commissioning of the congregation at the end of the Mass. After giving benediction, the priest will say: Ite, missa est! Go, you are sent forth! Pergilah, kalian diutus! That’s why the Mass is called the Mass or Misa, by the way.)